Nyarugenge Primary Court has denied bail to Omar Munyaneza, former Chief Executive Officer of the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) Group, ordering a 30-day remand for him pending trial. In a ruling issued on Wednesday, September 3, the court resolved that there are reasonable grounds to suspect his involvement in two corruption-related crimes. In contrast, the court granted bail to his former assistant, Dieudonné Mungwakuzwe, citing insufficient evidence linking him to the alleged charges. According to the prosecutors, Munyaneza faces charges of abusing powers granted by law for personal gain, making decisions based on nepotism, favouritism, or friendship, and acting as an accomplice in demanding or accepting undue payments. Mungwakuzwe, on the other hand, was accused of demanding or accepting undue payments. Both pleaded not guilty and sought bail. Delivering the ruling on September 3, the presiding judge said there was no evidence to suggest that Mungwakuzwe influenced his own recruitment or set his salary. The court therefore ordered his immediate release pending trial. However, on Munyaneza’s part, the court found sufficient grounds to suspect him of abusing his authority. The judge cited WhatsApp messages sent to the WASAC HR Director, who is also a witness in the case, ordering him to designate Mungwakuzwe as his assistant before the official announcement of the position. Witness testimony also alleged that Munyaneza unlawfully hired and dismissed staff during his tenure among other reasons . He will remain in custody at Nyarugenge Correctional Facility (Mageragere) pending trial. The parties have five days to appeal the ruling. More about the case On August 27, prosecutors arraigned Munyaneza and Mungwakuzwe before Nyarugenge Primary Court on corruption charges allegedly committed between 2023 and July 2024. Prosecutors accused Munyaneza of abusing authority in recruitment, promotions, dismissals, and early retirements. They alleged that he directly recruited Mungwakuzwe from Parliament, granting him a managerial salary above his rank as department head, which led to an overpayment of more than Rwf 20 million in just 11 months. He was also accused of hiring fresh university graduates outside standard recruitment procedures, overseeing the irregular hiring of 45 employees through exams allegedly organised by family and friends, and creating a messenger” position for a relative, a post not recognised under WASAC’s structure. Additionally, prosecutors said he forced four employees into early retirement under the pretext of creating space for younger professionals. Witness accounts and call logs were presented in court to support these claims. Defence Arguments Munyaneza dismissed the accusations, insisting that all actions were lawful and aligned with WASAC’s internal policies and shareholder decisions. On Mungwakuzwe’s salary, he argued that contracts were handled by the HR department based on new statutes approved by shareholders, not by him personally. He also claimed the recruitment of 45 staff was a shareholder-led initiative, and the hiring of university graduates was a long-standing practice dating back to WASAC’s predecessor institution, Electrogaz. Regarding early retirements, Munyaneza said departures were voluntary and within legal provisions. He also defended the controversial roles of Executive Assistant and messenger, saying they were part of essential staffing needs under WASAC’s transition into a group structure. Mungwakuzwe distanced himself from any wrongdoing, stating, “My position was the first of its kind in the institution. I signed the contract provided by the HR and had no involvement in determining pay scales.”
